Electronic commerce between buyers and sellers on a computer network such as the Internet has become ubiquitous. There are many existing systems and websites for handling electronic commerce transactions. Typically, these websites employ sophisticated and expensive servers and software systems for creating an Internet presence for electronic commerce. One such conventional e-commerce system is RosettaNet. The RosettaNet system, including the core of the RosettaNet implementation framework, includes a specification and protocol for the packaging, routing, and transferring of RosettaNet business messages in support of electronic commerce between networked trading partners. Other conventional e-commerce systems specify a structured protocol for e-commerce transactions via a network.
Although many conventional e-commerce systems exist, there are numerous problems associated with these conventional systems. For example, the implementation of a web presence in support of conventional e-commerce is very expensive. For example, a typical RosettaNet implementation can cost over $100, 000. The high expense of these conventional systems is due in part to the need for high-quality Internet connectivity and round-the-clock monitoring and support of e-commerce transactions. Conventional e-commerce systems, including RosettaNet, require that trading partners in a networked e-commerce system must constantly listen for pushed e-commerce messages from other trading partners. Reliable systems for constantly listening for e-commerce messages are very expensive. Further, because such systems must be always operating, additional expense is incurred by providing back-up or fail-over systems to assure the reliability of the e-commerce system. Additional expense is necessary because of the extensive monitoring and support of such systems.
Other problems are associated with these conventional e-commerce systems. There can be substantial risk associated with providing an always-active inbound connection to an e-commerce trading partner system. Such conventional systems must provide additional infrastructure for protecting enterprise resources and intranets from inappropriate access from external networked intruders. This additional infrastructure includes the purchase and installation of firewalls, routers, packet filter capabilities, and potentially DMZ. Additionally, intrusion detection in these conventional e-commerce systems must be provided.
Thus, an improved electronic commerce system is needed.